Monday, August 18, 2008

Fruit Identified!

Crescentia cujete
aka Calabash Tree fruit
The fruit that we bought last week is not deemed totally safe to consume as there are lots of caution made in the use of this fruit said to be from South America. The Hawaiian name is called laamia.
(The above picture is taken from a specimen centre in Hawaii)

How did it get here? I was told that it is grown locally but not much is known about is. Thanks to fellow Naturalists from the MNS, I am now aware of its safety. In conclusion, I am NOT eating/cooking this fruit . I also suggest that those who come across such fruit to think twice.
We got it from a side stall in Ulu Yam Lama.
I also hope that Botanists here in Malaysia can enlighten us further about this 'laamia' fruit and also to clarify the connection between the so called "Mo Fa Kor" label because the seller repeatedly mentioned this name when selling us this fruit.

(All above pictures from Google Images)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Donald,

The reason it is called "mo fa kor" is because people believed that this tree didn't have any flowers when its fruiting, but the actual fact is that it only blooms at night so thats why most people don't notice it.

Anyway, may I know what time was it when you saw that stall selling the fruit and where is it precisely?

Looking forward for your reply and thanks in advance

Birds Talking Too said...

Dear Anon,
Thanks for dropping by. That happened 5 years ago but last year, we still see it being sold! It was during lunch hour on Sunday and is usually jam packed mainly due to their famous 'Ulu Yam' Law Mee (noodle dish) together with some yummy fish cakes and pork dishes. If you are lucky, some less common fruits/Plant/herbs cuttings are for sale. We see some good medicinal herbs available too.
Here is how to go there. Take the old trunk road from rawang to kuala kubu baru. after passing some factories manufacturing car parts, you turn right after a traffic lights and on to a newly constructed flyover for dual tracking railway.Keep ringht but slow down to turn to the older shops, looks like shacks, they serves best sunday lunches.There are 5 shops of these types. All good.
Enjoy!!